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Member Profile

Rep. Don Young

Board Member

Rep. Don Young

Board Member

Biography

U.S. Representative Don Young was born in California in 1933 and moved to Alaska in 1959. Prior to entering politics, Young made his living doing construction work, mining, trapping and fishing. Before entering national politics in 1973, He served as mayor of Fort Yukon, and as an Alaskan state senator and representative. Young is one of the most senior members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) routinely include him in their “most corrupt” list. Young, who once suggested the “Artic National Wildlife Preserve” be named the “Artic Oil Reserve,” has also appeared on the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) “Dirty Dozen” list for his anti-environment views.

Fraser Verrusio, hired by Young to work on the House Transportation Committee that he chaired, was convicted of accepting an illegal gratuity and other crimes in February 2011. While working as a policy director, Verrusio received gifts— including an all-expenses paid trip to the 2003 World Series—from a client of Jack Abramoff’s lobbying firm that had business before the committee.

2013-03-28

In January 2011, Young introduced legislation that proposed to remove the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate a large open pit mine in southwest Alaska. Opponents of the mine warned that its operation could result in the dumping of up to 10 billion tons of toxic waste into the Bristol Bay watershed. Democratic U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell also indicated that the project could harm the wild salmon population in her home state of Washington.

In April 2007, Mark Zachares, a former top aide to Young, pled guilty to bribery charges in connection to the Jack Abramoff scandal. Zachares accepted thousands of dollars in illegal gratuities from Abramoff in exchange for using his employment on two subcommittees chaired by Young to advance Abramoff’s interests.

2013-03-28

Young was the subject of a 2007 Justice Department criminal inquiry on the basis of his association with employees of the VECO Corporation that were convicted of bribery. VECO CEO Bill Allen, who hosted a yearly fundraiser for Young called “The Pig Roast,” pled guilty to charges that he bribed three Alaska state legislators. Between 1996 and 2006, VECO fundraisers raised over $150,000 for Young. According to Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), VECO benefited from earmarks and legislation proposed by Young during this period.

2013-03-28

A 2007 guide for interns in Young’s Washington office distributed by paid staff suggested that interns allow an “A Team” of nine transportation lobbyists to “talk to whomever they want” when they called the office. When anyone else called the office, including other Members of Congress, interns were to check with the relevant staffer before putting the call through.

2013-03-28

On July 18, 2006, Young voted in favor of a constitutional amendment in the House of Representatives defining marriage as only between one man and one woman.

In 2005, Young secured a $223 million earmark for a construction project that became known as “The Bridge to Nowhere.” The bridge was designed to connect Ketchikan, Alaska (pop. 8,000) with Gravina Island (pop. 50) and would have been nearly as long as the Golden Gate Bridge and taller than the Brooklyn Bridge. At this time, a ferry ran every 30 minutes between Gravina Island and the mainland. Young also secured a $231 million earmark in the same bill for a bridge that would have connected Anchorage to Knik, Alaska (pop. 22). This bridge was to be named “Don Young’s Way.” Young openly bragged that the appropriations bill in question was stuffed “like a turkey.” When Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and others suggested that funds from the bridge projects be diverted to provide relief in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Young responded, “They can kiss my ear! That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.” In response to national outrage over the earmarks, plans to construct both bridges were canceled, but Alaska was allowed to retain the earmarked funds in the state’s general federal highway allotment fund. In 2007, Young warned then-Governor Sarah Palin, “Don’t even think of giving that money back” in response to a Congressional proposal to send some of Alaska’s funds to Minnesota in the wake of a bridge collapse in that state. An August 2007 Palin email indicated that Young continued to work behind the scenes to construct Don Young’s Way. Young was sharply criticized by commentators on both the left and right wing of politics.

On July 29, 1999, Young voted in favor of an amendment to the annual District of Columbia appropriations bill that would have banned adoption by gay parents in the District. The amendment failed 215-213.

2013-03-28

In 1995, Young gave a speech to high school students about the controversial artwork of photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. When asked by a student what offended Young about the photographs, the Congressman responded, “Butt fucking. You think that’s art?”

2013-03-28

During a 1994 Congressional hearing, Young angrily waved an 18-inch oosik (walrus penis bone) at Mollie Beattie, the first female director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Fraser Verrusio, hired by Young to work on the House Transportation Committee that he chaired, was convicted of accepting an illegal gratuity and other crimes in February 2011. While working as a policy director, Verrusio received gifts— including an all-expenses paid trip to the 2003 World Series—from a client of Jack Abramoff’s lobbying firm that had business before the committee.

Fraser Verrusio, hired by Young to work on the House Transportation Committee that he chaired, was convicted of accepting an illegal gratuity and other crimes in February 2011. While working as a policy director, Verrusio received gifts— including an all-expenses paid trip to the 2003 World Series—from a client of Jack Abramoff’s lobbying firm that had business before the committee.

In January 2011, Young introduced legislation that proposed to remove the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate a large open pit mine in southwest Alaska. Opponents of the mine warned that its operation could result in the dumping of up to 10 billion tons of toxic waste into the Bristol Bay watershed. Democratic U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell also indicated that the project could harm the wild salmon population in her home state of Washington.

In April 2007, Mark Zachares, a former top aide to Young, pled guilty to bribery charges in connection to the Jack Abramoff scandal. Zachares accepted thousands of dollars in illegal gratuities from Abramoff in exchange for using his employment on two subcommittees chaired by Young to advance Abramoff’s interests.

In April 2007, Mark Zachares, a former top aide to Young, pled guilty to bribery charges in connection to the Jack Abramoff scandal. Zachares accepted thousands of dollars in illegal gratuities from Abramoff in exchange for using his employment on two subcommittees chaired by Young to advance Abramoff’s interests.

Young was the subject of a 2007 Justice Department criminal inquiry on the basis of his association with employees of the VECO Corporation that were convicted of bribery. VECO CEO Bill Allen, who hosted a yearly fundraiser for Young called “The Pig Roast,” pled guilty to charges that he bribed three Alaska state legislators. Between 1996 and 2006, VECO fundraisers raised over $150,000 for Young. According to Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), VECO benefited from earmarks and legislation proposed by Young during this period.

A 2007 guide for interns in Young’s Washington office distributed by paid staff suggested that interns allow an “A Team” of nine transportation lobbyists to “talk to whomever they want” when they called the office. When anyone else called the office, including other Members of Congress, interns were to check with the relevant staffer before putting the call through.

In 2005, Young secured a $223 million earmark for a construction project that became known as “The Bridge to Nowhere.” The bridge was designed to connect Ketchikan, Alaska (pop. 8,000) with Gravina Island (pop. 50) and would have been nearly as long as the Golden Gate Bridge and taller than the Brooklyn Bridge. At this time, a ferry ran every 30 minutes between Gravina Island and the mainland. Young also secured a $231 million earmark in the same bill for a bridge that would have connected Anchorage to Knik, Alaska (pop. 22). This bridge was to be named “Don Young’s Way.” Young openly bragged that the appropriations bill in question was stuffed “like a turkey.” When Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and others suggested that funds from the bridge projects be diverted to provide relief in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Young responded, “They can kiss my ear! That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.” In response to national outrage over the earmarks, plans to construct both bridges were canceled, but Alaska was allowed to retain the earmarked funds in the state’s general federal highway allotment fund. In 2007, Young warned then-Governor Sarah Palin, “Don’t even think of giving that money back” in response to a Congressional proposal to send some of Alaska’s funds to Minnesota in the wake of a bridge collapse in that state. An August 2007 Palin email indicated that Young continued to work behind the scenes to construct Don Young’s Way. Young was sharply criticized by commentators on both the left and right wing of politics.

On July 29, 1999, Young voted in favor of an amendment to the annual District of Columbia appropriations bill that would have banned adoption by gay parents in the District. The amendment failed 215-213.

In 1995, Young gave a speech to high school students about the controversial artwork of photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. When asked by a student what offended Young about the photographs, the Congressman responded, “Butt fucking. You think that’s art?”

In 1995, Young gave a speech to high school students about the controversial artwork of photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. When asked by a student what offended Young about the photographs, the Congressman responded, “Butt fucking. You think that’s art?”